Costume Design with Foundation Year
Costume design is the art of creating the clothing and accessories that define characters in theatre, film, television, and performance. A costume designer does not simply select attractive outfits; they construct visual biographies, communicating through fabric, silhouette, colour, and period detail who a character is, where they come from, and what their role in the story is. Costume design sits at the intersection of fashion knowledge, historical research, theatrical tradition, and practical making skills, and it is a collaborative art, realised through close work with directors, actors, and production designers.
At Birmingham City University this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, providing the creative and academic preparation needed before the main degree begins. Across the full programme you will develop your design skills, your knowledge of historical dress, and your practical ability to construct, source, and modify garments to realise a design concept. You will study the history of costume and theatrical design alongside contemporary approaches, developing your critical understanding of how costume communicates and your practical range as a maker and designer.
Birmingham's location and the university's connections to the performing arts sector provide context and opportunities for the programme.
Costume design graduates work in theatre, film, television, opera, dance, and events, in roles including costume designer, costume supervisor, costume maker, assistant costume designer, and wardrobe manager. Many graduates also work in fashion, retail, stylism, and costume hire, where their combination of historical knowledge and practical making skills is valued. The transferable creative, research, and project management skills developed in the programme are assets in a wide range of roles in the creative industries.
Postgraduate study in costume design, fashion, or theatre design is a natural next step for those who wish to develop their specialism.